Never Spend a $5 Bill!

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Create LEGO mini-figure family holiday cards!

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'Twas the night before Christmas...

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 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thru the abode
Only one creature was stirring, & she was cleaning the commode.

Santa's North Pole Hotline!

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Homeschool on the go!

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Even though we will only be gone a month, I still feel it's necessary to provide my son with some sort of daily homeschool activity or lesson time to not only keep him on track, but to keep him occupied while we're traveling.  And since I know for a fact that we will be traveling extensively from one country to another, from big cities to small farming villages, and from home to home I needed to pack only the essentials!   Boy was that a hard list to pare down!  LOL  

I decided on just the basics for activities:

 

• crayons
• colored pencils
• markers
• dry erase board with markers
• scissors
• glue and glue stick
• wipeable Vis-à-vis marker
• sketch paper
• colored construction paper
• handwriting paper
• and some fun little extras!

 

Some of these items I'm sure I could purchase or borrow in many places along the way, but for the sake of efficiency (and my sanity!) I'm just packing it all up, that way, wherever we end up, all I have to do is grab the bag and we can dive right in! 

 

I am bringing along just a few "lesson" books I picked up cheaply at thrift shops and yard sales this year that focus on math, outdoor science (as we will be spending quite a bit of time in nature!), some phonics, mazes, cutting, etc.  All of these books are relatively thin consumables, so as we finish the books, we can recycle them and lighten our luggage load coming back.  For whatever I don't have packed or prepared, I figure what I "need" in the moment for an add-on to a lesson or outdoor discovery I can download, print online, or we can make it.

 

I am really excited about homeschooling on this trip and in a country that speaks my son's native language!  He'll be able to start decoding the print-rich language of the big cities and small villages on signs, menu's, and at the markets!   And it will be such a fun experience to incorporate what he discovers while traveling and building extension lessons based on new interests, places, and people!

 

 

 

 

 

You can also find Bloom Where He Plants You on Facebook!

And I blog daily over at The Krazy Coupon Mama! Frugal living at its finest! Money-saving tips, lessons in couponing, daily deals, freebies, product samples, printable coupons, giveaways, store deals, and more! Because Budgets and Babies Can Make Anyone Krazy! ™

 

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Countdown to Christmas: 25 Nights of Christmas Stories

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50 Educational FREEBIES for Thanksgiving!

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Two years of LEGO® Club OR LEGO® Club Jr.magazine FREE!

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FREE Halloween Printables!

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Curious George's Halloween Boo Fest!

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YAY!  We LOVE George and this looks like a really cute movie to add to our rainy day collection! 

Katie Woo Book Club!

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We're Going Home!

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Tips for Safe Tricks & Treats!

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It's pumpkin time at Keema's Pumpkin Farm!

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Big Wheels: Going Places with the Library!

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On My Son's First Day of School....

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First Day of Pre-Kindergarten Sign....

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A Letter to My Teacher.......

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This post may contain my personal affiliate link.  Read my disclosure policy here.

Teachers Make the Worst 'Parents'.......

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Happy Heart, Healthy Eating Day at The SCM! FREE Admission!

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Our Visit to the 160th Annual California State Fair!

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Blueberry Café Muffins

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The Tree House Traders 'Simple Yet Necessary' Group Guidelines

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Welcome to Tree House Traders Y'all! Please note that by utilizing this site, you are pinky-swearing to follow these simple (but necessary) guidelines!  

I started this group in the hopes of bringing LOCAL folks together to swap, so with that in mind, please be aware that *ALL* items posted in this group *MUST* be available for pick up or exchange in the following areas ONLY: South Sacramento (SOUTH OF FLORIN RD.), the Greenhaven or Pocket areas, Elk Grove, Wilton, or Galt!  Please note your LOCATION or preferred MEET UP AREA in your posts.   If you are out of our area, you are of course more than welcome to stay and swap, but please don't expect buyers or other interested parties to have to travel or make arrangements for out-of-area pick ups or exchanges.   Happy Swapping!

 

The Tree House Traders 'Simple Yet Necessary' Group Guidelines

 *This group is for buying, selling, trading, or paying forward new and gently used baby, children, and maternity related items only. All other posts will be deleted without notice.

*For safety and liability reasons, all items posted, (whether for sale, trade, or donation) must not appear on ANY recall list, or be defective or unsafe in ANY way. You can search for information on recalls here: http://www.cpsc.gov/ Please notes that it is illegal to sell, attempt to resell, or donate a recalled consumer item.

*ALL car seats and infant car seat bases posted (whether for sale, trade, or donation) must be listed with the date of expiration and/or the “manufactured on” date.

*ALL cribs posted (whether for sale, trade, or donation) must be listed with the Brand, Model, and/or the Model #.

*SPAM and SPAMMERS will be deleted ASAP

*No posts offering “work from home” opportunities, weight loss groups, etc.

*If you are the admin of a Facebook page, you may promote your page once weekly.

*Sealed and unexpired formula and baby food may be posted for donation or trade ONLY.

*Use common sense when meeting up to purchase/sell an item. Choose a public location or arrange to meet multiple people at one time.

*There is an ABSOLUTE ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY for ANY kind of drama. PERIOD. There will be no warnings. You will simply be asked with a smile to leave the group. ;) We are all adults and should all be able to enjoy making deals with as little hassle as possible.

*If you are having difficulties with a transaction or another member of the group, please PM an admin so that it can be handled off the wall and with respect to all parties involved. If you feel the need to “vent” about an issue further, please reserve that conversation for your personal Facebook wall.

*While we will try to ensure a pleasurable atmosphere in which to buy and sell your items, admins are not responsible for how transactions are handled. Please use your best judgment in comparing prices before making an offer and inspect items thoroughly BEFORE any money is exchanged. There is absolutely NO OBLIGATION to purchase something once you’ve met with the seller. If the deal doesn’t feel right to you, then simply say “No thanks, I’ve changed my mind.”

*How To Create a Photo Album in Facebook Groups from a Mobile Device:
http://youtu.be/YsfJumpH-iI

 

 

>>>SELLERS

*Your “For Sale” posts MUST contain your LOCATION (City with nearest major cross streets or landmarks i.e., "Elk Grove near Franklin and Laguna" or "Greenhaven near Kennedy High School"). Doing so will cut down on a lot of the "Interested, depending on location" or "Where are you located?" comments and allow the sale to move faster.

*Your “For Sale” posts MUST contain a price (whether or not you’re FIRM on price or willing to take a better offer - OBO). Please do not list an item with "Make me an offer". This creates a lot of issues with "Low Balling" and "Auctioning/Bidding". Give interested buyers a general idea of your desired price range and put OBO.

*Please try to give as much product information as possible. This will cut down on the amount of questions being asked and allow potential buyers to research price, recall history, and other product specifics.

*Please create an album and label it with your name.

*If you are unable to create an album, you may post 10 ITEMS PER DAY MAX. You can add multiple pictures to one post and try to add as many items in a photograph as possible to reduce wall clutter.

*Please do not "BUMP" out every photo in your album (You may post 10 ITEMS MAX PER DAY). Add the sales description by clicking on the "edit" button on your photos or add the description as you upload the photos to the album. You can "BUMP" your entire album by just typing a "." in the comments section on the album, or leaving a comment alerting members that you have "added more items" or that you have "126 pictures in this album"!

*You may also send extra photos via text or personal Facebook message to potential buyers.

*If your item is “First Come, First Served” (FCFS), needs an immediate pick up, or cannot be held you must clearly state this in your post.

*Please specify pick up options: Are you willing to meet the buyer, deliver, or should they come to your specified location to meet you or for a “Porch Pick Up”?

*If your items are posted on multiple sites, please state that. This will clear up any confusion when items are labeled “pending” with no interested buyers “in line”.

*The seller shall take buyers in order on the posting, allowing for adequate time for the next interested buyer to respond (24 hours). If you are not willing to wait, then post your item as FCFS.

*Mark an item as “PENDING” if you have a buyer lined up.

*Mark your items as “SOLD” once the sales transaction is complete.

*Delete "SOLD" posts as soon as you can. If you are unable to delete, tag an admin and they will delete for you.

*You may bump your items ONCE every 24 hours, but not to exceed the 10 ITEMS PER DAY limit. Excessive bumps will be deleted without notice.

*Please do not repost the same photographs. This causes the wall to become cluttered and makes searching through all of the photos for items frustrating. Use the search feature (the little magnifying glass on the top right) to find your posts and BUMP your old photos up on the wall.

 

 

>>>BUYERS

*The first person to state some sort of an "Interest" in purchasing (i.e., "Interested" or "I'll take it" or "Me please" shall have the “first dibs”. Simply asking a question in regards to location, size, price, etc. is not stating intent or interest to buy.

*You can always change your mind and give up your spot “in line”. If you change your mind leave a comment on the post stating you “pass”.

*If you would like the chance to purchase the item if the first buyer falls through, reply with “Next” or “NIL” (next in line).

*Bidding is not allowed. You may not offer the seller more than the stated asking price or the agreed upon price with active buyer.

*Make every effort to contact the seller in a timely manner.

 

Helpful Abbreviations:
BNIB = Brand New In Box
BNWT = Brand New With Tags
NWOT = New Without Tags
OBO = Or Best Offer
MMARO = Make Me A Reasonable Offer
FSOT = For Sale Or Trade
LTB = Looking to Buy
WTB = Willing To Buy
ISO = In Search Of
EUC = Excellent Used Condition
BUMP = Bring Up My Post
PM = Private Message (via Facebook)
PPU = Pending Pick Up

(last updated 6/28/13)

Wheels Day at the Sacramento Children's Museum!

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It's going to be a 1,839° this weekend, but this event looks like a ton of fun!  Plan to get there early and bring LOTS of cold water to drink!

Friday Night SUMMER FUN at the Sacramento Children's Museum!

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The Sacramento Children’s Museum has a GREAT new event to kick off summer! 

Cinemark's Summer Movie Clubhouse! $1 Movies ALL Summer!

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And here's another fun summer activity for the kiddos!  Cinemark's Summer Movie Clubhouse runs for 10 weeks showcasing recently released G and PG films for kids!  Day, times and weeks of the series are determined by the local theatre so be sure to check with your local participating theater!

 

Admission is just $1 per person per movie at the door the morning of the show, or you can purchase a  ten-week series punch card at the theatre box office or online at Cinemark.com for just $5, while supplies last!

 

 

Our local Cinemark theater in Elk Grove (Century Laguna 16 -  9349 Big Horn Blvd., 95758) will begin showing films Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m.!

 

June 18 - 19      Horton Hears A Who (G)*

June 25 - 26      The Smurfs (PG)*

July 2 - 3           Ice Age: Continental Drift (PG)

July 9 - 10         Dolphin Tale (PG)*

July 16 - 17       Happy Feet (PG)*

July 23 - 24       Oceans (G)*

July 30 - 31       Rio (G)

August 6 - 7       Chimpanzee (G)

August 13 - 14    Alvin & the Chipmunks (G) 

August 20 - 21    African Cats (G)

 

(*Not showing at Regal theaters this summer)

 

 

***Be sure to PIN THIS to your 'Summer Fun' board on Pinterest so you can easily find it later!*** 

 

 

And you can save on the concessions too!

 

 Save $1 on the purchase of a Movie Snack Pack or upgrade to any $2 candy for FREE with your SMC ticket through 8/31/13!

 

 

 

Regal Cinema's is also offering $1 movies in their Summer Movie Express!

 

 

 

 

You can also find Bloom Where He Plants You on Facebook!

And I blog daily over at The Krazy Coupon Mama! Frugal living at its finest! Money-saving tips, lessons in couponing, daily deals, freebies, product samples, printable coupons, giveaways, store deals, and more! Because Budgets and Babies Can Make Anyone Krazy! ™

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SAHM? Please. All you do is lay on the couch all day eating bon-bons and watching soaps!

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Dried Strawberry Flavored Craisins

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Double Chocolate Krackle Cookies

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So, several months ago I guess I signed the boy up for a weekly breakfast making, er, I mean, weekly cookie baking class!    BEST.  SPENT.  MONEY.  EVER.  It was overall a wonderful learning experience:

• learning about the chemistry of the ingredients and how they work together, taste, feel, smell, sound
• learning an important home economics skill and learning the way around an industrial kitchen
• testing levels of patience in waiting for ingredients and supplies to be passed along and cookies to be baked and cooled
• learning the importance of teamwork in helping out fellow bakers, and helping to clean up
• using hand-eye coordination in pouring ingredients INTO THE BOWL and not ONTO THE TABLE
• fine motor practice was used in measuring out ingredients in small amounts and cracking eggs
• large motor skills in mixing all the batter by hand and rolling and shaping the dough 
• and practicing good listening skills in waiting for the instructor to call out the next ingredient or to explain the steps of the recipe. 

 

And let me tell you the stress that is relieved between parent and child in being able to mess up somebody else's kitchen!   I don't care how patient a parent you claim to be, there is always that sense of OMG-are-you-freaking-kidding-me?! when you have littles in the kitchen "helping" out, especially when the project is impromptu!  AmIright?!   Anyways, it was great having another adult to be frustrated at other than mommy!  And we learned some new fun and easy recipes that kids can follow, and every week we made DOZENS of super yummylicious treats to take home!  This was by far the best extracurricular activity we have ever done and I cannot recommend it highly enough.  So much so, that we have signed up for another session! 

 

 

Double Chocolate Krackle Cookies

 

Prep Time:  ?????  Depends on how many eggs end up on the floor and how much flour is flung around the counter.

Bake Time:  8 - 10 minutes 

Makes about 30 1-inch ball cookies OR 7 or 8 ginormous misshapen mound cookies

 

 

Ingredients

 

 

1/2 cup and 2 tbsp. firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. baking soda

1/3 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

2 tbsp. granulated sugar

2 tbsp. powdered sugar

 

 

Directions

 

1. Heat oven to 375°.
2. In a large bowl (or on medium speed using a stand mixer) beat together brown sugar, shortening, and vanilla until well blended.
3. Add the egg and mix well.
4. Add in the flour, salt, cocoa, and baking soda and (mix on low speed) stir gently until well incorporated.  The dough will become stiff and resemble play-dough.  Kids can dig in and use their (clean!) hands to mix the dough (sprinkle on a little flour if the dough is too sticky to work with)! 
5. Add chocolate chips.
6. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and leave in the mixing bowl watching as your kiddo gently smashes each neat little ball that you form.
7. Sprinkle the granulated sugar over the balls and shake the bowl until the balls have absorbed most of the sugar.  This will help the powdered sugar stick and give the cookies that "Krackled" look.
8. Sprinkle the powdered sugar onto the balls and shake the bowl to ensure all of the cookies are coated.
9. Place cookie balls about 2-inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  These cookies will not spread, so if you want flat cookies, you can smash them down a bit!
10. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes or until cookies are set.   Let the kiddos watch the cookies "Krackle" in the oven like dinosaur eggs!  The insides will be a little like a cakey brownie or truffle.
11. Cool completely (or as long as you can possibly stand to wait!) and enjoy these yummy rich treats with a cold glass of milk! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can also check me out over at The Krazy Coupon Mama on Facebook! Frugal living at its finest! Money-saving tips, lessons in couponing, daily deals, freebies, product samples, printable coupons, giveaways, store deals, and more! Because Budgets and Babies Can Make Anyone Krazy!

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Splish Splash! Pool Season is Finally Here!

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On Mother's Day....

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If You Give A Mom A Muffin...

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Regal Cinema's Summer Movie Express is back!

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101+ Simple Ways Kids Can Celebrate Earth Day All Year Long!

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(Recycling all of mom's Sunday newspapers!)

'Who's the Nutcase Now?!' Meatballs...

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THE PERFECT cold-and-rainy-outside-snuggle-on-the-couch-in-jammies breakfast!

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I have been making baked oatmeal for my little family for a few years now and we just LOVE it! None of us are fans of the mooshy texture of traditional oatmeal ("It's so gwoss Mama!" And it really is!), so baking it is a nice compromise on a healthy, warm, and filling breakfast. (If you've never had baked oatmeal, it's a little bit like a warm, crumbly cookie without the guilt of eating a bowl of cookies for breakfast! lol) YUM!

YAY! Teacher Appreciation Week is coming!

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(Yes, that's me. Yes, I'm rolling my eyes.)

Resurrection Rolls!

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The Frugal Bunny!

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Up super early this morning playing Mama Bunny!  And was VERY surprised to see Papa Bunny hopping down the stairs to help this year!  ;) 

Bird's Nests!

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Ah, another holiday and another excuse to make yummy treats!  I don't normally go all out with the holiday treats, as I have a little that is just not into the sweets.  *insert a great big ol' sad mama face*  But I have seen this idea for cute little spring treats floating around for the last couple of years and thought we'd give it a go this Easter!  And, what do ya know?  The boy loved it!

Shhh....It's my birthday.....

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......and it's kind of a big one!

Keep Towels 'Laundry Day' Fresh for Weeks!

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There is one thing that probably sets me apart from most 'normal' folks:  I LOVE to do the laundry!  I really do!  I love gathering up all the dirty clothes (from the bathroom floors, the closets, the couches, the car, everywhere but IN the laundry baskets it seems! *sigh*), I love to sort the loads (sheets, blankets, towels, jeans, hubby's CalFire uniforms, separate load for the boy), I love trying out new detergents and fabric softeners, I love the sound of the machines whirring away in the early mornings or on a rainy afternoon, and I love dumping the warm clothes on the couch for my little boy to crawl into like my mom used to when I was small.  And, yes, I even love folding and putting away!

When I first became a Stay-At-Home parent, I found quickly I needed order and routine to not only stay on top of things but to help pass the time in a manageable I-am-not-gonna-go-bonkers kinda way.  So, one of the first tasks I set up a schedule for was the laundry.  I decided that all of the bath towels would be switched out every Sunday night and the loads would be washed every other Monday morning.  But I soon discovered that the towels needed to be washed even more often than that!  It didn't matter if I washed the towels on Monday morning, by Tuesday they still had that sour smell to them!  So frustrating and gross!

I quickly learned that the sour smell is mildew that has built up in the fibers of the towel and needs to be stripped out.  There are lots of ways to achieve this, but I found the most effective way was to use a combination of both Baking Soda and Distilled White Vinegar.  

On the highest water temperature setting, add 1 cup of Distilled White Vinegar and 1 cup of Baking Soda to the washer as it fills.  Add in the towels and no other laundry detergent or softeners!  This is very important as the residue from the softener builds up over time and the towels actually become less effective at drying and airing out.  And then, just to satisfy my need for the towels to have a "Laundry Day" fresh scent, I rewashed the load in cold water with just a small amount of detergent, literally a few drops. 

Dry the towels immediately on high heat in the dryer (without any softening products like dryer sheets) and do not remove until all of the towels are completely dry.  You can also hang them to dry and air out again in bright sunlight to be sure the smell has been taken care of.   

I did notice the sour-smell came back after 4 or 5 days (at least not overnight! LOL) so I used the same method again the next time I washed a load of towels.  After 3 treatments, my towels were super fresh and fluffy again and the 'Laundry Day' fresh scent lasted for over 2 weeks!  

I cannot believe how much this simple fix has reduced my time in the laundry room doing loads of towels!  And how much money it saved me from spending on a whole new set of towels!

It's time for Jell-O Easter molds!

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I'm pretty sure I've seen these in our local grocery store or Target for around $5, but right now you can get a FREE Jell-O Jigglers Easter Egg Mold (reg. $5.45) for ONLY the cost of shipping ($2.95)!  And if you order before 3/18 it will arrive in time for Easter fun!  Can't wait for ours to get here!

Mexican Rice with Corn

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WOOT!  I have just been on a cooking roll this week!  It started with those YUMMY shredded beef tacos that I was trying to imitate from On the Border (and I totally hit those out of the park!) and then I just had to go for the rice too!  My little boy absolutely loves the rice at OTB and can easily devour several servings at a sitting!  He loves it so much that I even had the servers  gather me a price list for the rice and it was not cheap!  Something like $28 for a gallon-sized container?! 

 

So, I asked my readers for a recipe and a friend of mine suggested I try a "fail proof" recipe she swears by.  Well, I tried it.  And about half way through I soon realized the recipe was not "FOOL proof!"  LOL  I spilled more than the required amount of rice in the pan, so I had no idea how much was actually in there.  I didn't have cumin, so I had to substitute a random amount of chili powder.  The onion I bought didn't end up looking so hot after I cut into it, so I didn't have enough of that.  And as I was tasting the rice while it cooked, it just didn't taste like what I was going for......it didn't have that On the Border kick!  So, I ended up doctoring up the flavors just so I wouldn't have to toss out the whole batch and waste it.  I added my go-to ingredient and it was SO good!  I made this again the next day with my own made-up recipe and served a bowl to my biggest critic and asked him what I was dying to know, "Sweetie do you like this 'orange' rice or the 'orange' rice at On the Border better?"  And........he gulped down a HUGE spoonful and looked up at me and squealed, "No Mama!  I LOVE YOUR rice the BEST!  More please!"  And that's all the praise I needed to hear to know my recipe was a success!  ♥

 

 

 

 

 

Mexican Rice with Corn

1 cup uncooked Long-Grain White Rice

(1) 8 oz. can of Tomato Sauce

(1) packet of your favorite Enchilada or Taco seasoning mix

2 cups liquid (either Chicken Broth or Water)

3 tbsp Vegetable Oil

2 cups Whole Kernel Frozen Corn

1. Begin by rinsing the rice in a strainer before cooking. This will rinse off any dusty starch or leftover chaff particles and may prevent the rice from being a clumpy mess.  Set aside to dry a bit.
2. Heat the oil in a 2-qt saucepan over medium heat, then add the rice being careful of any splatters from the wet rice hitting the oil.
3. Stir the rice constantly, until it gets puffed up and golden.   
4. Add 1/2 of the tomato sauce, about 1/2 of the seasoning packet, and the liquid.
5. Bring mixture to a rolling boil and then reduce to a simmer and cover.
6. Cook for approximately 18 - 25 minutes, checking periodically that the rice is not sticking to the pan or burning. 
7. The rice is done when all of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender.  (*Note: Depending on the rice variety, you may need a little less or a little more water as the rice cooks, so check the package for specific instructions.  I just opened a new brand of rice and learned this the hard way!)
8. You can add small amounts of chicken broth or water if the rice is still too, um, crunchy (?) for your liking.  ;)
9. Mix in the corn and fluff the rice gently with a fork.
10. Cover again for just a few minutes to allow the corn to heat through. (At this point, you could add the rest of the tomato sauce and your rice dish will have a nice creamy texture.  We like it like this!)
11. Remove from heat and serve.

 

 

 

This rice is SO good by itself or when paired with our favorite Mexican Shredded Beef Tacos!

 

NOTE from the gal behind the stove:

Now, I do not ever live under the pretense that I can actually 'cook', but what I strive for (and what I hope all kitchen-haters like me are aiming for) is making tasty meals that my family will enjoy, using recipes that are understandable, simple to put together, and super easy to replicate. I am often modifying recipes I find and basing them on familiar tastes or on the ingredients I have on hand at the time. Not every recipe is a keeper, but that's all a part of the learning curve!

You can also check me out over at The Krazy Coupon Mama on Facebook! Frugal living at its finest! Money-saving tips, lessons in couponing, daily deals, freebies, product samples, printable coupons, giveaways, store deals, and more!

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